Meetings
by majewel
Summary: AU. This story happens before my other story 'Choosing a Side'. It's about how Faith and Kim met each other.


Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Angel or Power Rangers.

AN: This is an AU. The timeline has been pushed up a bit. Faith finished her sentence in prison and is let out. Kim is sent to pick her up.

Timeline:1999

The Pick Up

Everyday was the same. I would wake up, eat, work, eat, work some more, eat, shower and than sleep. It was the same day in and day out and has been happening for the last three years of my life. Occasionally I would get a visitor but not very often. Three years ago I got tired of running. Try running from a slayer, the police, and the watchers council. A person could get tired doing that even a slayer. So I turned myself in and this has been my home since. Angel visits every so often to check in on me and update me on what's been happening so I'm not completely alone and out of the loop.

Today however was unlike any other day. Today was the day that I got out. I finished serving my sentence and was almost a free woman. It was around noon. I had gathered my few belongings already and was now was waiting. The door to my cell opens and in its place stands a guard.

"Come on time to go," the guard speaks stepping back and allowing me to walk through the cell door.

"Finally," I reply walking to the outer doors waiting for them to open.

"What are you going to do now that you're getting out," the guard converses with me. The guard was one of the nice ones around here. He has always been kind to me even after finding out why I was here.

"I don't know," I reply. I hadn't really given my future any real thought even though I've had enough time to. "Stay out of trouble I guess." After three hours I was finally ready for release and was escorted to the entrance of the prison.

Stepping through the gates I see a pale pink Honda Accord and a short brunette standing by it. I was hoping someone would have been here to pick me up. Angel couldn't come because the sun was still out, but I thought for sure he would have sent someone to get me. I didn't see Cordelia, Gunn, Fred, or even the backstabbing Wesley. All I saw was some female around 5'2" standing by the Honda and looking at me expectantly. She has a lot of nerve driving around in that pink car, but at least it's not hot pink. The female starts walking towards me stopping when she is directly in front of me.

"Faith," she asks sticking her hand out for me to shake.

"Yeah," I reply ignoring the outstretched hand. "Who wants to know?"

"I'm Kim," she replies coolly removing her hand. "Angel and the gang are knee deep in a prophecy so he sent me to get you."

"You know Angel how," I ask suspiciously. Angel wasn't the type to trust easily, but if he sent her than he had to trust her. He's never mentioned a Kim to me though.

"When I'm not taking classes I help him and the gang out," Kim says not at all deterred by my accusing glare.

"Oh," I reply still glaring at her.

"He said you would be suspicious of me and as usual he's right. Come on we have a long journey ahead of us," she replies. With that last statement she walks back to the Honda and gets in unlocking the passenger door for me. I still hadn't moved.

"You can walk if you want," Kim replies having started her car and rolled down the driver's window. "But I can guarantee that you'll make it to L.A. a lot faster if you get in." Reluctantly I climb into the car because I know she's right.

"I need some new clothes," I inform her while looking down at my prison uniform. The sooner I was able to get out of the outfit the better.

"I know," she replies knowingly. "That's another reason Angel sent me to get you. Out of all the candidates, with the exception of Cordy, I was the only one who wouldn't mind taking you shopping.

"Why didn't Cordelia come than? At least I knew her," I ask the last part was a whisper though.

"Because unfortunately for you," Kim responds before pulling onto the main road. "Cordy… or Cordelia is afraid of you."

"Oh," I reply before we lapse into silence. It wasn't one of those silences where the tension could be cut with a knife. It was an enjoyable silence. While Kim drove I looked at my surroundings. The scenery could have been painted on a canvas it was so serene and peaceful. All I could see was miles and miles of land. We rode in silence for an hour before we came across civilization, in the guise of a small town. Kim found a small clothing store and parked her car in front of it.

"Ready to do some shopping," she asks a little too happily.

"As ready as I'm going to be," I reply with as much enthusiasm as I could muster. It wasn't much.

"Put this on," Kim replies having reached in the back of her car and pulling out a coat. Putting it on I get out of the car. It was late October and good whether for the coat.

"What do I need this for," I ask looking down at the trench coat. It covered most of my uniform.

"Don't want to draw unnecessary attention," she replies locking the car doors and walking to the store. Opening the door she allows me to go first before following.

"I don't have any money," I reply remembering that I would need it in order to purchase anything. "How am I going to pay for anything?"

"I already got that covered," Kim smiles leading the way to the clothes. I didn't like the idea of her paying for my stuff, but it's not like I have a choice. We both were looking through the clothes in silence. Every once in awhile she would hold a shirt up that I would approve or disapprove with a nod or shake of my head. I have to admit though she had some pretty good taste when it came to clothes. An hour had gone by and I had three pairs of pants and fours shirts. I would have been happy with one pair of pants and shirt but she insisted that I get more.

"What do you think about this?" Kim asks holding up a pink halter top.

"There is no way on this Earth that I'm wearing pink," I tell her. She must have lost her mind showing me that shirt… and I thought she had good taste. "It's bad enough I have to been seen riding around in a pink car but now you're trying to get me to wear that horrid color. I think not." Kim looked at me for a few seconds before she starts to laugh.

"What's so funny," I ask her annoyed that she would laugh at me. I was so serious.

"I was going to ask you how you thought the shirt would look on me," she replies a giggle slipping past her lips while she spoke. "I could look at you and tell that you wouldn't wear pink."

"Oh," I reply a little embarrassed by my outburst. "Well, if you didn't know now you do."

"You don't like my car," Kim asks as an afterthought.

"It's okay," I quickly reply. "If that's what you like."

"If you don't like my car, you should see my room," she replies while putting the shirt back. We finished up with getting some personal items for me before paying at the register. I went and changed into some of my new clothes before helping Kim load the stuff in the car. Once back in the car Kim drove around looking for someplace to eat. We saw a 'mom and pop' diner where Kim parked the car and the two of us exited the vehicle.

"I'm starving," I reply. I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast and it was now 7pm. We were seated in a booth with me on one side and Kim on the other. A waitress came and took our drink orders before handing us a menu and leaving us alone.

"So," I begin trying to make conversation. "How did you and Angel meet?"

"I had just gotten out of my night class and was headed for home when I was attacked by some disfigured creatures," Kim begins with a faraway look in her eyes.

_Flashback_

_Kim was so happy to be out of class. Gerald, an older guy who sat next to her in class, was harassing her. How many times did she have to tell him that she wasn't interested? She had registered at UCLA after she had gotten injured during gymnastics practice. The doctors told her that she could compete again if she wanted to, but she would still have to take time off to recuperate. Thus, she decided to go to school. She hurried out of her night class and was walking, because her car was in the shop, across campus when she heard someone whistling from behind her. Thinking that it was Gerald she turns around with a scowl on her face._

"_I told you," she begins but stops when she sees that the person behind her had ridges where its forehead should have been, yellow eyes, and fangs._

"_You told me what?" the creature snarls walking towards a stunned Kimberly. Kim had seen strange things in her life, heck she fought them for years, but nothing could have prepared her for the sight that she saw now. The creature looked so much like a human besides, the facial anomaly that she stood in shook. The creature who had spoken lunged for her grabbing her by the neck while simultaneously bending her head to the side. This caused Kim to react. She kneed him in the groin causing him to let her go. As she turned to run she realized that she was surrounded by more creatures that looked just like him. Her attacker grabbed her from behind and turned her to face him again. One second the creature was in front of her the next he was dust filling her lungs and sending her into a coughing fit. When she finally cleared her throat she looked around to see that she was no longer surrounded by the beings save for a man with a wooden stick in his hand. He was tall with black hair and a face of a brooder. She recognized the face because her ex-boyfriend, Tommy, was a brooder._

"_Are you okay Ms…," the man pauses not knowing what to call her._

"_Kim," she replies wondering where everyone went. She looked around her keeping a weary eye on the stranger._

"_They won't bother you anymore," he tells her noticing her glancing around._

"_Thanks," Kim replies before backing slowly away from him. The stranger turned and walked in the other direction before Kim continued her walk home._

_End Flashback._

"That's an interesting but common way to meet Angel," I reply while stuffing my face. "He's always saving some damsel-in-distress." The food had come while Kim was telling her story and I had instantly dug in.

"I take offense to being called a damsel-in-distress and slow down," Kim tells me laughing. "You act like someone is standing over your shoulder ready to take your food in a moments notice."

"You must have met Angel again if you have been working with him and the others," I reply slowing down a little.

"Yeah, we did," Kim answers eating casually.

"So what happened," I ask intrigued by the story.

_Flashback_

_As Kim continued to walk home she had the feeling that someone was watching her. She constantly looked over her shoulder but never saw anyone. It was times like now when she wished that she had a roommate. Unfortunately for her, her old roommate had left a month ago. Kim didn't sleep well that night and for the next few months she avoided going out at night. She went to her night class but when it was over would hurry to her car, which she had gotten out of the shop the moment it was ready. She had convinced herself that the being that attacked her was on drugs as well as his friends that the drugs had somehow disfigured their faces. She also convinced herself that the one in front of her hadn't turned to dust that night, but he and the group had left her alone once her vicious coughing attack had started. _

_Summer was coming up and Kim wasn't taking any summer classes so she applied with a company called Angel Investigations. She was majoring in computer technology and would maintain the internet system that the small company was setting up. It was night out and Kim was sitting in her bed reading a book when the phone rang._

"_Hello," Kim answers._

"_Hi," a voice from the other end replies. "Is Kimberly Hart available?"_

"_This is she," Kim replies putting her book down for the moment._

"_This is Cordelia Chase from Angel Investigations," the woman continues. "I was calling to inform you that you have been chosen for the job… that is if you still want it."_

"_Sure," Kim replies letting out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. "Of course, when do I start?"_

"_If you could come in tomorrow around 7 that would be great," Cordelia tells her enthusiastically._

"_A.M.," Kim asks her._

"_No P.M.," Cordelia corrects her._

"_Okay," Kim replies before Cordelia hangs up the phone. Kim sat in her bed thinking that 7pm was a weird hour to be going in, but a job was a job so she would be there._

_The Next Day_

_It was 6:50pm and Angel was pacing back and forth in his office. The sun hadn't yet set but he was protected from the rays by specially made windows. It had been months since he had saved the brunette. She said her name was Kim. He sensed a power about her, but wasn't even sure she was aware of it. Today he was supposed to be meeting his new employee. He didn't know the persons name or qualifications. He let Fred and Wesley pick out the person and trusted them to make a good decision. Angel had told Cordelia to have the new person come in at 7pm tonight so that he could meet them. It would probably be the only time that he would meet this person because he slept during the day which would be the main hours of his new employee. He was still deep in thought when he heard her voice._

_6:50pm out side Hyperion Hotel_

_Kim was standing outside the massive hotel trying to debate on whether or not she should enter. Looking down at the paper in her hand she saw the address that she scribbled down before she left her apartment. Kim walks up the steps to the entrance of the hotel and opens the large doors. When she enters the lobby everyone stops what they are doing and looks at her. She thought about leaving right than and there but before she could think too long the female behind the desk spoke._

"_May I help you?" the female asks warmly._

"_Yes," Kim answers nervously. "I have an appointment here at 7 o'clock. My name is Kim."_

"_Hi," the receptionist answers. "I'm Cordelia and you're early."_

"_Which makes me on time," Kim jokes in her nervousness._

"_Huh," the only other female in the room besides Kim and Cordelia says while looking at Kim confused. She was standing between a Caucasian who had a short haircut and a bald African American male. _

"_That's Wesley, Fred, and Gunn," Cordelia introduces the three other members in the room._

"_You've never heard of the saying," Kim asks as the three of them looked back at her._

"_What saying," Wesley asks with a thick British accent._

"_When you're early you're on time and," Kim begins before she is interrupted._

"_When you're on time you're late," a male voice answers from behind Cordelia causing her to jump._

"_Are you trying to give me a heart attack," Cordelia replies still hold her chest._

"_Not today," the male jokes before looking at Kim. "Hi"._

"_Did Angel just make a joke," Fred asks stunned._

"_I think he did," Gunn replies equally stunned. Kim looks at Angel in stunned silence before fleeing the hotel._

"_I can't say that has ever happened before," Wesley replies before going back to the book he was reading._

"_Me either," Gunn replies watching her retreating form._

"_What did you do?" Cordelia reprimands Angel as the hotel's entrance closes._

_End Flashback_

Kim and I had finished eating and were just talking now.

"So you actually ran out of the hotel," I ask in disbelief.

"Yeah," Kim tells me. "I had convinced myself that the events of that night hadn't happened. So if he was real than that meant that whatever happened the first time we met were real as well.

"Wicked," I tell her. "I bet he brooded about that one for days." Kim had paid the bill and the two of us had left the diner looking for somewhere to spend the night. We found a small motel and Kim again paid for a room with two beds.

"Obviously something happened to get you to go back," I begin continuing the conversation that had started during dinner.

"I was at the mall shopping," Kim tells me continuing her story.

_Flashback_

_Kim had just left Victoria's Secret when she heard someone call her name. Looking around she doesn't see anyone she recognizes so she continues to walk. This time when her name is called the voice was closer. Kim recognizes the voice but couldn't place where she had heard it. Turning around she is shocked to see Cordelia, the receptionist from the hotel standing there._

"_Can I help you?" Kim asks embarrassed by her actions two weeks ago._

"_I thought that was you," Cordelia replies ignoring the question. "How have you been?"_

"_Fine," Kim answers before walking away trying to decide where to go next. Cordelia catches up with Kim and suggests that they go to JC Penney. Kim agrees and they head in that direction talking. Kim found that she and Cordelia had a lot in common which was comforting to her since she still didn't know anyone in Los Angeles._

"_I don't think I can carry anymore bags," Kim replies laughingly while walking to the malls entrance. They had been in the mall for three hours._

"_Me either," Cordelia replies while looking for the time. She spots a clock and notices that it's 9 o'clock. Angel wasn't due to pick her up for another hour. "Do you mind giving me a ride?"_

"_Not at all," Kim answers leading the way to her car. They arrived to her pale pink car and Kim unlocks the back doors before popping the trunk._

"_You have got to be kidding," Cordelia replies looking at the car._

"_You can put your stuff on the back seat," Kim replies before putting her things in the trunk. She got the same reaction from everyone else so she wasn't at all surprised when Cordelia commented on the color of her car._

"_I could tell by your shopping that you had a thing for the color pink but this," Cordelia replies. "This is a fashion faux pas."_

"_Do you want a ride or not," Kim asks having finished putting her stuff in the trunk and closing it._

"_Of course," Cordelia quickly answers before putting her stuff in the back seat and closing the door._

"_Then stop complaining and get in," Kim replies while grinning. Kim gets into the drivers side and starts the engine. She listens as Cordelia directs her to where she lives. Finally Kim pulls up outside the Hyperion Hotel and turns her car off._

"_You could have told me that you lived here," Kim informs her while looking at the hotel._

"_I thought that if you knew you wouldn't give me a ride," Cordelia answers honestly._

"_You would have been right too," Kim tells Cordelia who had already gotten out of the car and gotten some of her bags out of the back seat. It was 9:34pm._

"_Aren't you going to help," Cordelia asks._

"_Sure," Kim replies before reluctantly getting out of the drivers seat and grabbing the rest of Cordelia's bags. They walked to the entrance of the hotel and was about to open the doors when it suddenly flew open._

"_I was just coming to get you," Angel tells Cordelia. Moving aside he allows Cordelia to enter the building before closing the door. It stops before closing all the way._

"_Excuse you, I'm walking here," Kim replies angrily using her feet to keep the door from closing all the way._

"_Sorry," Angel replies having not seen Kim when he originally opened the door. Cordelia led Kim to her room where they put Cordelia's stuff before heading back to the lobby. Kim had noticed the first night that she was here that various weapons were all over the place. Tonight was no different. Gunn and Fred were gone and Wesley was reading a book._

"_What exactly do you guys investigate," Kim asks. She was walking around the room and had picked up a bow. She was gently pulling on the string testing the resistance._

"_Whatever people want us to investigate," Angel answers watching Kim mess with the bow. He then watches Kim walks towards a stake and pick it up._

"_That's a stake," Cordelia informs Kim from her position at the receptionist desk. "We use it to kill vampires with."_

"_Right," Kim responds sarcastically while still holding the stake._

"_It's one way to kill a vampire. The other is by beheading them," Cordelia supplies ignoring the sarcasm._

"_You know… Ms. Hart. If you still want the job you can have it," Angel informs Kim. Before Kim can answer the hotel doors are thrown open and in runs Gunn and Fred both out of breath._

"_We have trouble," Gunn say running towards a sword and picking it up. Fred also grabs a weapon and the two of them look at the door both waiting. Suddenly ten vamps enter the hotel the doors closing behind them._

"_Oh my," Kim grips the bow and stake harder remembering what Cordelia told her a minute ago._

"_What did you guys do," Cordelia replies picking up a stake that is kept under the desk. "Invite them to come home with you?"_

"_We accidentally found a vampires nest," Fred answers as the fight ensues. Angel had killed two vampires. Fred had gotten one. Gunn had gotten two. Wesley had gotten one and Cordelia had killed one. Angel had killed his last vampire when he looked up to see Cordelia and Fred fighting a vampire. Gunn was on his way to help them and Angel was headed towards Kim who had somehow managed to avoid the creatures. Before Gunn could reach Cordelia and Fred the vampire was turned into dust by the stake that Cordelia held._

"_I could have sworn there was one more," Angel replies making sure everyone was okay._

"_I thought so too," Gunn replies looking around the room._

"_We need to find it," Wesley replies before he, Gunn, and Fred go in search of it._

"_Are you okay," Angel asks Kim as Cordelia made her way back to the receptionist desk._

"_Yeah," Kim replies. During the fight she had somehow made her way to the door, bow and stake still held safely in her hand. Suddenly Angel looks up at the balcony. Cordelia didn't notice because she had started on some paperwork, but Kim did. Angel started running up the steps. The balcony held the last vampire who had a sword in his hand._

"_Cordelia," Angel yells knowing he's not going to be able to stop the vampire._

"_What," Cordelia replies looking up from her paperwork to see Angel running up the stairs._

"_You know," a voice says from behind her. "You shouldn't leave your weapons lying around." Cordelia turns just in time to see the vampire leap from the balcony. At that moment everything seemed to go in slow motion. Cordelia was so shocked she could do nothing but watch as the vamp came towards her with the sword raised in the air. Gunn, Fred, and Wesley heard Angel call Cordelia and came running back to the lobby. The vampire was bringing the sword down for the final blow when it stopped. Cordelia had closed her eyes waiting for the blow that never came. Opening her eyes she looks up to see that Angel had finally made it to the balcony and he was looking towards the entrance. Turning she sees Kim still holding the bow aimed in her direction but slightly above her head. Gone is the stake that she had held in her other hand._

"_I've decided to take the job," Kim informs them. "You clearly need me." With that statement she lowers the bow._

_End Flashback_

"I've been working with them since," Kim finishes her story. During the story Kim and I had gotten ready for bed and we were in our respective beds.

"How long ago was that," I ask Kim.

"Two years ago," she replies turning off the light. "Night, Faith."

"Night, Kim," I say into the darkness. "Thanks."

"You welcome," she replies before I hear her yawn. Shortly afterwards I hear her steady breathing signifying that she was asleep. I follow her into dreamland a little while later.

The End

Reviews are welcome!


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